In This Dimension
by Piccolo is green
Summary: Buu may have been defeated in this dimension, but that doesn't mean the outcome was the same in the Future Timeline. 100 drabbles series that follows the lives of the Briefs family post-Buu, with a slightly AU twist. Bulma/Vegeta, Trunks, Bra, Mirai Trunks.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z.**

**A/N:** Another drabble-fic, this time based on one of the many 100 prompt challenges that float around on the net. I'll be posting 5 drabbles at a time, and my aim is to keep these at 100, 125, or 150 words each.

All of these will be post-Buu, but they won't be in chronological order. There's a slight AU to these drabbles (you'll know what makes it so by the end of this chapter); it's an idea that I've had in my head for a long time. My aim is that by the end of this 100 drabble collection the reader will have a really strong sense of what this universe is all about.

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><p><strong>IN THIS DIMENSION<strong>

1. **Introduction **(Adult Bra, 100 words)

"There." She pointed to the printouts, a mass of information on her father's DNA. "And look, here's mine," she added, her irritation obvious as she threw more paper down on the table before him. Stepping back, she watched Blaine's dark eyes as he skimmed through it all. She'd met him in Capsule Corp's biolab, and had faith that he'd at least believe the science.

"You don't think it would have been a good idea to tell me this _sooner?_"

"Oh _SURE!_" she exploded, sarcasm unrestrained. "I know we've just met, but guess what, I'm half alien! Still wanna date me?"

2. **Complicated **(Trunks, age 14, 125 words)

Trunks checked his phone for the third time, frowning at the blank screen. He'd expected a call by now, after the prank he'd pulled back at school. He could handle his parents' anger, but their _silence_… he didn't know what to make of that.

He loitered around town for as long as he could, until well past dinner-time. Stupidly, he'd left his money in his locker when he bailed school, and as the sky grew darker and his grumbling stomach grew louder, he knew he had to go home and face the music.

Unfortunately, it was his father that greeted him at the top of the stairs, arms crossed in that stoic pose that said _you're in trouble_.

"Anything to say, son?"

"Uhhh… it's complicated?"

3. **Making History** (Regular timeline, 15 years post-Buu, 125 words)

It was strange, after all these years, to meet this shy, soft-spoken version of her son once more. "I appreciate you giving me a place to stay," he told her quietly, avoiding eye contact, the click in his throat audible as he swallowed. It was heartbreaking to see him broken like this.

"Honey, of course," she replied, her voice infused with sympathy – he'd arrived this morning in his battered time machine, having clearly run from a battle. He'd been seriously wounded and covered in blood that Vegeta had confirmed was hers. "You're family."

He nodded once, and broke down, sobbing on her shoulder. "I wasn't enough – _I couldn't_ –"

She clutched him tight, holding Vegeta's concerned gaze over his shoulder, her vision blurred by tears.

4. **Rivalry** (Immediately post-Buu, 100 words)

The adrenaline had faded at last. Trunks, worn from the mad events – _the tournament was only two days ago,_ she thought, feeling disembodied – had collapsed on the trip home. Now she stood in Vegeta's old bedroom, her body wavering with exhaustion even as her mind whirled at a million miles an hour.

He stood with his back to her, staring out over West City.

"Vegeta." Her voice was flat, drained. "What will make you happy?"

He remained silent.

"Because your rivalry with Goku can't justify…" _Pause, breathe, exhale._ "You nearly killed me, you know. The blast was 20 feet away."

5. **Unbreakable **(150 words)

They stood on the living room balcony, Mirai on her left, Vegeta on her right.

"Buu was indestructible," Trunks said solemnly. "I hit him with everything I could, and he either absorbed it or pieced himself back together."

They had given him a brief history in the week since his arrival. Now she filled in the details; that they had all died when Buu attacked, that it took a spirit bomb to destroy the monster. Vegeta, silent until this point, added "You did all you could, Boy."

The Kais never appeared in Trunks' timeline. He'd fought alone, for days after the death of his mother, until the Earth itself began to break under him. "I should have saved her. I should have stayed until the end."

"No," she replied, her voice reduced to a whisper.

"I should have stayed," the Trunks repeated, and the look in his eyes was haunting.


End file.
